Attitude changing device



Oct. 30, 1962 P. A. ROEHRBEIN ATTITUDE CHANGING DEVICE Filed May 18,1960 2 Claims. (Cl. 19833) This invention relates to an attitudechanging device and more particularly to a device for changing theattitude of an article such as a tubular metal container or can.

Prior devices employ structure which engages the ends of cans duringtwisting or changing the attitude of the cans and accordingly can beused only with cans having ends of a specific configuration, usuallyflat. Such prior devices could not accommodate cans having ends ofvarious configurations, such as domed or breast-shaped ends.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device whichwill twist an article such as a can, container, or the like, regardlessof the configuration of the container ends.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a deviceoperative to use magnetic lines of flux as gripping means and anon-magnetic belt as transfer means in moving a magnetic flux responsivemetal container from a first track to a second track whilesimultaneously changing the attitude or orientation of the container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description, which, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a device incorporating the features of theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlargement partly in cross section takenalong the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of theattitude changing way which provides magnetic flux and also guides themovement of containers between the infeed and outfeed means.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a supportingstructure 9 supporting infeed means 1% such as a conveyor belt, anoutfeed means 11 such as a chute, and a transfer and reorientation way12 extending incooperative relationship with and between the infeed andoutfeed means and 11. A cylindrical container 13 of ferrous metal ismoved from infeed means 10 along the attitude changing way 12 anddelivered to outfeed means 11. The container is moved along way 12 by anendless belt 14 provided with transverse flights or cleats 15 whichengage the sidewalls of containers 13. The belt 14 is movably andoperatively supported at opposite ends of way 12 for movement thereoverby magnetized pulley wheels 16 and 17 having their respective rotationalaxes disposed to correspond with the axial orientation of the article atthe adjacent feed means. Wheel 16 is driven by a suitable drive means asmotor 18 to move belt 14.

Infeed conveyor 10 is provided with a horizontal surface 20 on which thebottom end 21 of the cylindrical container 13 rests so that thecontainer 13 is disposed in a first predetermined orientation, such asan upright attitude with its axis of revolution orientated vertically.Outfeed means 11 is spaced from infeed means 10 and has an upper surface22 disposed horizontally and thus parallel to infeed conveyor surface20. The outfeed chute surface 22 will be engaged by the cylindrical wall23 of container 13 delivered thereto, whereby the container 13 will rollfrom the apparatus along the chute in a second predeterminedorientation, i.e. horizontal.

Way 12, as best seen in FIG. 4, includes a pair of r. leg 3,061,071

Patented Oct. 30, 1962 faces 27 and 28 respectively. The way faces 27and 28 at the end of way 12 adjacent infeed conveyor surface 20 areperpendicular thereto, i.e. vertical, and at the opposite end of way 12the way faces 27, 28 are substantially horizontal to blend with outfeedsurface 22. Thus, the curvature of the way 12 undergoes a quarter-turntherealong, and as the active run of belt 14 is supported thereon, thebelt is likewise twisted and thereby will twist container 13 90 duringthe travel thereof. Shoes 25 and 26 are constructed of flux conductivematerial capable of conducting magnetic lines of flux and form theopposite polarity poles of a magnet. Although the lines of flux may beprovided by permanent magnets or electromagnetic coils, in this instancemagnetic flux is provided by a plurality of individual permanent magnets29 which bridge the space between shoes 25 and 26 and hold shoes 25 and26 in spaced alignment with each other as well as providing the oppositemagnetic poles and the magnetic flux at shoes 25 and 26.

Endless belt 14 is constructed of material capable of allowing the linesof flux to pass therethrough between the shoes and the containers beingmoved along the way 12 so that flux will pass through the cylindricalwall 23 of container 13 and between shoes 25 and 26 while container 13is being moved along way 12. In actual practice, belt '14 is constructedof rubber, leather, plastics or other materials having similarelectrical, magnetic, and physical properties. The belt spaces thecontainer 13 from surfaces 27 and 28 as it moved along, so that thecontainer is free from any surface marring contact with the way 12.Pushers 15 may be non-magnetic cleats or ridges integral with or joinedto belt 14 and extending crosswise thereof. The pusher 15 is on theopposite side of belt 14 from way faces 27 and 28 and is aligned toengage the cylindrical wall of the container. When the side of acontainer 13 is moved into contact with the belt 14 by infeed means 10,pusher 15 engages container 13 to move it along with belt 14. The belt14 is provided with a plurality of pushers 15 and the pushers are spacedapart therealong a distance greater than the diameter or width of thecontainer so that each succeeding pusher will contact each succeedinginfed container when more than one container is to be twisted.

Extending partially about wheel 17 is an arcuate guide 30 to maintainthe container 13 in contact with belt 14, in those instances in whichWheel 17 may have lost its magnetism, or may provide a magnetic fieldincapable of pulling the containers against the endless belt. As soon ascontainer 13 enters the magnetic field of way 12, the flux from magnets29, passing through shoes 25 and 26 and container wall 23 holds the sideof container 13 against belt 14 while pusher 15 thereof moves container13 from the infeed conveyor toward the outfeed chute. The generalcurvature of way faces 27 and 28 between the opposite ends of way 12changes the attitude of or twists container 13 from its initial verticalposition as it is moved along way 12 so that the container will bepositioned horizontally when it reaches outfeed means 11.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the present inventiontwists objects, cans, containers, or the like, while the ends thereofare free of engagement with any part of the transfer and reorientatingmeans. For this reason containers or cans having ends of various sizesand shapes, for example, the modified cone shaped end illustrated inFIGURES 2 and 3, may easily be twisted by the device.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, andarrangement of the parts-without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

1' claim: 11. An attitude changing device for tubular magnetic articlescomprising,

infeed'means for delivering said articles in a first predeterminedaxial. orientation, outfeed' means for discharging said articles in asecond predetermined orientation, article transfer and reorientatingmeans disposed between ,and operatively associated with said int'eedmeans and said outfeed means to receive articles therefrom and deliverarticles thereto in said orientations, respectively, said transfer andreorientating means including, a pair of magnetized: pulleys rotatablymounted adjacent said infeed means and said outfeed means, respectively,and adjacent the sides of the articles thereat, each said pulley havingits rotational axis disposed to correspond with the axial orientation ofthe article at the; respective feed means thereadjacent, an endless belttrainedtaround said pulleys and having an active run and a return runextending therebetween, said belt runs being progressivelylonigtudinally twisted tov merge at each end thereof into arcuate beltportions. respectively concentric with the said pulley axes, t a rigid'wayr extending between said pulleys in supporting underlying engagementwith said active belt run and conforming to the twist thereof,

said way including a pair of spaced adjacent shoes. providing a slideface for said belt, and a plurality of magnets rigidly secured in spacedrelation to the underside of said shoes and transversely thereof tomaintain the spacing therebetween,

said magnets having their like magnetic poles connected to each saidshoe, respectively,

said belt having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverseflights,

and means for driving said pulleys,

whereby the magnetic articles are transferred from said infeed means tosaid outf'eed means by said magnetic pulleys and by said active belt runwith the sides of the articles magnetically gripped thereto with theiraxes transversely thereof, the articles thereby reorientating duringtransfer from their infeed orientation to their outfeed orientation asthe flights advance the articles along the twisted path of the supportedbelt.

2. The device of claiml wherein said pulleys have their rotational axesvertical and horizontal, respectively, and

wherein said active belt run is twisted 90 degrees between said arcuatebelt portions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,168,281 Buch Jan. 18, 1916 1,574,430 Lemon Feb. 23, 1926 1,580,342Staude Apr. 13, 1926 2,881,901 Zimmer Apr. 14, 1959

